October is Liver Cancer Awareness Month. Lee’s Sandwiches and Asian Liver Center at Stanford University have launched JoinJade We Care, an initiative to connect 50,000 people in California to JOINJADE, a campaign to stop hepatitis B and liver cancer worldwide.

Globally, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection takes the lives of 800,000 people each year and is a leading cause of liver cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that two thirds of chronic HBV cases in the U.S. are undiagnosed as most of those infected have no symptoms. With early diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, most HBV-related deaths can be prevented.

Stores will also display photo contest posters encouraging customers to share their cups on Instagram using #leesjoinjade to help spread awareness. Five participants will be selected to receive a $50 prize from Lee’s.

California is the state with the highest number of chronic HBV cases in the U.S. Among 14 participating Lee’s stores, four are located in Santa Clara County where an estimated 31,300 people have chronic HBV; five stores are in Los Angeles County where an estimated 83,770 people have chronic HBV; and another five stores are in Orange County, where an estimated 15,100 people have chronic HBV.

Dr. Samuel So, Executive Director of Stanford Asian Liver Center, emphasizes that, “Liver cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.S. and in the world. As most cases are caused by chronic hepatitis B and C infections, businesses frequented by community members play a key role to raise awareness. I applaud Lee’s Sandwiches for taking the lead in JoinJade We Care to connect community members to potentially life-saving knowledge.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Asian Liver Center at Stanford University to raise awareness and connect people to JOINJADE, a global campaign to

stop liver cancer worldwide”, said Chieu Le, CEO of Lee’s Sandwiches.

The JoinJade We Care public kickoff event will be held on October 13, 2018 at the Vietnamese American Community Center in San Jose with keynotes from public representatives, Lee’s Sandwiches, and Stanford Asian Liver Center leadership.

About Asian Liver Center at Stanford University

Asian Liver Center at Stanford University was founded in 1996 as the first non-profit organization in the U.S. to address disproportionately high rates of chronic hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians and Asian Americans. The Center’s mission is to end transmission, stigma, and deaths caused by chronic hepatitis B, achieved through CARE: Collaboration, Advocacy, Research, and Education/Outreach. In 2000, the Center launched JoinJade to raise hepatitis B awareness worldwide.

More at liver.stanford.edu

About Lee’s Sandwiches

Founded in 1983 in San Jose, California, Lee’s Sandwiches is a quick-serve restaurant chain specializing in Bánh Mì, Vietnamese sandwiches and other Euro-Asian food products. From its beginnings as a food truck, Lee’s Sandwiches is now the largest Bánh Mì chain with over 60 locations in Arizona, California, Las Vegas (Nevada), Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia.